"So he's actually that dangerous…?"
Hearing the students around them whisper, Syrus finally realized this Chazz guy didn't seem as goofy as he looked. He couldn't help sweating for Minazuki.
"Ah, so that's why he's got so many underlings following him around."
Jaden nodded in sudden understanding.
"By the way, just how many branch campuses does our Academy even have? This 'Branch' is the first time I've ever heard of it."
Alexis suddenly stepped forward.
"Duel Academy's Northern Branch is just like the American Branch—it refers to the Northern Europe region."
After finishing their stage performance, Alexis and Akasha had taken a quick moment backstage to fix themselves up before returning—only to immediately witness Chazz and Minazuki standing off onstage.
"Just like our Academy, the Northern Branch also has two duelists considered their 'Kings.' One is Jesse Anderson. The other… is Chazz."
Alexis explained calmly.
Akasha frowned.
"So what on earth is Minazuki doing? How did he end up fighting someone like that?"
On the stage, Minazuki didn't show even the slightest hint of hesitation, despite hearing Chazz's true reputation.
"A true duelist speaks through duels! If I win, you're voting for Akasha!"
"(゜-゜)? What is even happening? I never asked him to get votes for me…"
Chazz crossed his arms and sneered.
"Hmph. Trying to question my love for Alexis? Fine then—if you lose, you'll shout at the top of your lungs, 'Alexis Rhodes is the greatest in the world!'"
"Huh?! Why do I have to be involved in this? And why is the punishment something so embarrassing?!"
Jaden leaned in close to Akasha and Alexis and whispered,
"Well… actually it all started like this—"
After hearing Jaden recount the entire ridiculous chain of events, the two girls exchanged exhausted looks.
Akasha sighed.
"Are those two grade-schoolers or what? All this over something so stupid? I don't even care about the voting results…"
In truth, both Akasha and Alexis had been roped into this event. Neither cared about the title of "Duel Queen," which was why they casually chose a comedy routine just to get it over with.
Alexis shook her head with a weary sigh.
"Boys really never change… even my brother is always being irresponsible."
[DUEL!!]
[Chazz LP 4000]
VS
[Minazuki LP 4000]
"My turn—draw!"
Minazuki began the duel and glanced at his hand.
"Alright, this turn I Normal Summon my brand-new monster—Shiny Black "C" Squadder!"
[Shiny Black "C" Squadder ★★★★ (Level 4)]
[EARTH / Insect]
[ATK 2000 / DEF 0]
Despite being classified as an Insect-Type, the monster that emerged looked exactly like a tokusatsu hero—a full-on Kamen Rider-style fighter.
Akasha blinked.
"Minazuki has that kind of monster? I thought his deck was nothing but Level 1 low-stat vanillas."
Even though Shiny Black "C" Squadder was also a Normal Monster, 2000 ATK on a Level 4 was strong enough to dominate its tier—an extreme contrast to the weaklings Minazuki had previously summoned.
"This time I'm using a different deck—to show my knightly spirit!"
After proudly declaring this, Minazuki set a card.
"I set one card face-down. Turn end."
[Minazuki: 4 Hand Cards | 1 Set Card]
"Oh? What do we have here?"
Spotting the sudden duel forming onstage, Atticus—still unsatisfied with how little screen time he had earlier—immediately perked up.
"Two young duelists fighting with all their passion for the girls they adore! How youthful! Special judge Zane—what do you think?"
This time, unlike earlier where he barely got to speak, Zane Truesdale stood calmly and responded with composure.
"Duel Academy is centered around dueling. So it's only natural that students settle disputes through duels instead of pointless violence. A duel is the purest form of soul-to-soul confrontation."
"As expected of Zane—the Academy's true king! You perfectly embody the spirit of Duel Academy! And now, as a special bonus program, Zane and I will be judging this duel together!"
Hearing that Duel Academy's strongest duo would personally judge the spontaneous duel, the crowd erupted with excitement.
"Alexis's brother is judging my duel personally? Truly, the heavens bless me today!"
As Alexis's self-proclaimed admirer, Chazz naturally wouldn't miss this chance to impress his "future brother-in-law." At this point, Minazuki looked like a divine stepping stone sent just for him.
"But in the end, you're still just a Red slacker. Summon a single trash monster and suddenly you think you're hot stuff."
Chazz's arrogance wouldn't allow him to treat a Red student seriously. Even beating Yellow dorm's Misawa didn't register as important to him.
"Trash will always be trash! I Normal Summon V-Tiger Jet!"
[V-Tiger Jet ★★★★ (Level 4)]
[LIGHT / Machine]
[ATK 1600 / DEF 1800]
Minazuki scowled.
"Hey hey hey, that's not fair. You called my monster trash, but yours is also a vanilla—and it's got less ATK than mine!"
"Just watch and learn—this is the combat style of Chazz!"
Chazz slid a card into his Duel Disk, activating a Field Spell. The stage instantly transformed into a metallic, industrial battlefield.
"Field Spell—Union Hangar—activate!"
[Union Hangar – Field Spell
Effect: When this card is activated: Add 1 LIGHT Machine Union monster from your Deck to your hand.]
"Thanks to the effect of my Field Spell, I add W-Wing Catapult from my Deck to my hand!"
Atticus commented, "So he's a Duelist who uses Union Monsters. As a fellow user of Cyber Dragon–type Machines, Judge Zane, what do you think?"
Zane replied, "Unlike Fusion-based Cyber Dragons, Union Monsters can equip themselves to other monsters as Equip Cards. Fully utilizing their many combined forms and effects is a true test of a Duelist's skill."
Continuing his move, Chazz placed the searched monster into his Spell & Trap Zone.
"I activate the Union effect of W-Wing Catapult!"
[Target 1 "V-Tiger Jet" you control; equip this card to that target. If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle or card effect, destroy this card instead. The equipped monster gains 400 ATK/DEF.]
[V-Tiger Jet ATK 1600 → 2000]
With the Union equipped, the jet-mounted V-Tiger Jet's attack power now matched Minazuki's Shiny Black "C" Squadder.
"If you include the destruction replacement, then V-Tiger Jet really can beat Minazuki's monster."
Jaden, squinting in confusion, muttered, "But after doing all of that… he's just trading with a Normal Monster. So Chazz… doesn't seem as strong as I expected…"
"The real show is just beginning. Witness the true form of Union Monsters!"
Chazz banished both monsters on his field, the mounted V-Tiger Jet merging with W-Wing Catapult.
"—Fusion Summon! VW-Tiger Catapult!"
[VW-Tiger Catapult ★★★★★★ (Level 6)][LIGHT][Machine/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2000/DEF 2100]
["V-Tiger Jet" + "W-Wing Catapult"
Must first be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control.]
"And now, the effect of VW-Tiger Catapult! I discard 1 card and target 1 monster on your field—its battle position is changed! I target your Shiny Black "C" Squadder, switching it to Defense Position!"
"What?!"
Minazuki's monster was forcibly rotated sideways, exposing its nonexistent Defense.
[Shiny Black "C" Squadder DEF: 0]
Atticus: "By forcibly changing its position, he reveals the weakness of its zero Defense! What do you think of that, Zane?"
Zane: "The position change isn't the main point—the key is the card Chazz discarded."
"As expected of Zane—you caught on instantly. From my hand, I activate the Equip Spell Premature Burial! By paying 800 Life Points, I revive the monster I discarded!"
[Chazz LP 4000 → 3200]
[Y-Dragon Head ★★★★ (Level 4)][LIGHT][Machine/Union/Effect][ATK 1500/DEF 1600]
The revived red dragon unit appeared on Chazz's field and immediately flew into the Field Spell Union Hangar.
"And when a LIGHT Machine Union Monster is Summoned to my field—Union Hangar activates!"
[Once per turn, if a LIGHT Machine Union Monster is Normal or Special Summoned: target it; equip 1 different LIGHT Machine Union Monster from your Deck to it.]
"I equip Z-Metal Tank from my Deck to Y-Dragon Head! Then, I banish both monsters on my field—performing a Union Fusion! Come forth—YZ-Tank Dragon!"
With Chazz's triumphant shout, the tank unit burst from Union Hangar and combined with both Union components.
[YZ-Tank Dragon ★★★★★★ (Level 6)][LIGHT][Machine/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2100/DEF 2200]
["Y-Dragon Head" + "Z-Metal Tank" Must first be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control. (You do not use "Polymerization".)]
"You summoned two Union Fusion Monsters… but it still doesn't matter!"
Even now, Minazuki looked unfazed. "I don't believe you can OTK me in one turn!"
"And now—Equip Spell Megamorph! I equip it to YZ-Tank Dragon! My LP is lower than yours thanks to Premature Burial—so YZ-Tank Dragon's ATK is doubled!"
[YZ-Tank Dragon ATK 2100 → 4200]
The monster expanded dramatically, its massive armored frame dominating the stage.
Jonouchi gasped, "He's really going for a one-turn kill… Are students nowadays this terrifying?!"
This level of aggression was comparable to a Pro Duelist. Jonouchi suddenly remembered his own school days, where he survived everything using nothing but gambling cards.
"So this is Chazz… he really is impressive," even Hoshino admitted. "Also—did Minazuki just jinx himself again?"
[Shiny Black "C" Squadder destroyed]
As everyone stared at Chazz's explosive power, Minazuki's position-switched monster was already crushed by VW-Tiger Catapult.
"This is the end, you scrub! YZ-Tank Dragon—direct attack and finish him!"
"Hold it right there, Chazz-boy~! I activate from my hand—Rainbow Kuriboh!"
[When an opponent's monster declares an attack: target that monster; equip this card from your hand to it. The equipped monster cannot attack.]
A tiny Kuriboh floated out of Minazuki's hand, slipped into the tank's armor, and shut the attack down.
"Kuriboh actually popped out to stop it! But honestly, who would dare take a 4000+ ATK direct attack? As long as Rainbow Kuriboh is equipped, YZ-Tank Dragon can't attack!"
"Another Kuriboh… Counting that one from earlier, Minazuki actually has two different Kuribohs in his hand…"
Kuriboh cards were top-tier rarities. But because they looked weak, many Duelists dismissed them as garbage.
Yet this random Red Dorm student casually flashed two—strong evidence of suspicious wealth.
"Don't tell me Minazuki is secretly a rich kid… Maybe that earlier card was just purchased with pure cash," Hoshino muttered.
"Saved by a low-level monster, huh? Let's see how long you can cling to life."
Chazz ended his Battle Phase, clearly annoyed.
But Minazuki wasn't finished.
"The moment your Battle Phase ends—I activate from my hand, Kuribohrn!"
[At the end of the Battle Phase: discard this card; target 1 monster destroyed by battle and sent to your GY this turn; Special Summon it.]
Hoshino's eyes widened. "He has three Kuribohs?! Are you kidding me?!"
"Thanks to Kuribohrn, I Special Summon Shiny Black "C" Squadder from my GY! You thought it was just a weak monster—but let me tell you… times have changed, old man!"